BULLFIGHTING: THE FACTS

THE MYTH

It
seems hard to believe that in this so-called civilised age, a most vicious
and cruel spectacle of blood continues to flourish in Spain and certain
other countries. Bullfighting is barbaric and should have been banned
long ago, as bear-baiting was. It is difficult to understand how crowds
of people will pay money and take pleasure in watching one lone creature
- who has never done them any harm — getting hacked to death. How
can anyone with an ounce of compassion, cheer and chant olé as
a banderilla or lance is thrust into the animal’s pain-racked body?

Bullfighting has a very glorified public image — it is presented
as a contest between the brave matador, who boldly risks life and limb
to tackle a mad and ferocious beast. The matador is always dressed in
a traditional costume of brilliant colours: the bullfight is seen by many
as the mysterious ritual between man and beast, which is an integral part
of Spanish culture and custom. For this reason, many tourists who visit
Spain feel that seeing a bullfight is a necessary part of their holiday,
just as tourists visiting Britain go to see the Tower of London.

However, after witnessing the sheer horror of this sickening slaughter, only
the most hardened and callous would consider a second visit to the bullring.
The purpose of this booklet is to fully explain what the bull has to endure,
both during his last hour of life in the ring, and also the other side of the
bullfight not commonly known to the vast majority of people: the pre-bullfight
treatment.

THE PRE-FIGHT TREATMENT

The
bull is not an aggressive animal, and the reason he is angry and attempts
to charge at the matador whilst in the bullring is mainly because he has
been horrendously abused for the previous two days. In fact, what spectators
see is not a normal, healthy bull, but a weakened, half-blinded and mentally
destroyed version, whose chances of harming his tormentors is virtually
nil. The bull has wet newspapers stuffed into his ears; vaseline is rubbed
into his eyes to blur his vision; cotton is stuffed up his nostrils to
cut off his respiration and a needle is stuck into his genitals. Also,
a strong caustic solution is rubbed onto his legs which throws him off
balance. This also keeps him from lying down on the ground. In addition
to this, drugs are administered to pep him up or slow him down, and strong
laxatives are added to his feed to further incapacitate him. He is kept
in a dark box for a couple of days before he faces the ring: the purpose
of this is to disorientate him. When he is let out of the box, he runs
desperately towards the light at the end of the tunnel. He thinks that
at last his suffering is over and he is being set free — instead,
he runs into the bullring to face his killers and a jeering mob.

THE “FIGHT”

Strictly speaking, a bullfight is composed of 3 separate “acts”,
and the whole thing is supposed to last for 20 minutes, though in actual
fact it varies. The opening of a bullfight begins with a tune being played
on a trumpet — the tune is the special, signa lure Rifle which characterises
the beginning of the horror. Upon entering the ring, bulls have been known
to collapse through exhaustion alter their pre-fight ordeal — they
have been dragged to their feet by the bullfighter’s assistants.

The Picadors

The sequence of events begins when the bull faces the picadors —
these are the men on horseback, whose purpose it is to exhaust the bull.
They cut into his neck muscles with a pica. This is a weapon of about 6-8
inches long, and 2 inches thick. Once it is thrust into the bull it is twisted
round and a large, gaping wound appears. The bull then starts bleeding to
death.

The Assistant Matadors

After the picador has finished his sordid business, the assistant matadors
then get to work with the banderillas (sharp, harpoon-like barbed instruments).
These are plunged into the bull’s body, and he may also be taunted
by capes. Up to six banderillas may be used. When the banderillas strike
the bull stops in his tracks and bellows madly.

The
Kill

A trumpet signals the final “act” — in fact, during
the whole nightmare, strange, slow tunes are played throughout. It is, of
course, during the final act that the bull is killed (and hopefully goes
onto a better life). The kill should last 6 minutes, and is done by the
main matador. If he has any difficulties (which is an extremely rare occurrence),
the others immediately rush in to his aid and finish off the bull.

THE FINAL DEGRADATION

The matador is supposed to sever the artery near the heart with one thrust
of the sword — in fact, this never happens. It often takes 2-3 times
before the creature is mercifully released by death. By this time, the bull’s
lungs and heart will be punctured and he always vomits blood. Miraculously,
he sometimes attempts to rise again, and gets up on his knees, only to receive
further mutilation at the hands of his tormentors. He finally gives up,
goes to his knees and lies down. Even then, he is not allowed a little dignity
to leave this world in peace, his ears and tail are cut off (often when
he is fully conscious), and his broken, bleeding body is dragged around
the ring by mules, to which he is attached by an apparatus made of wood
and chains. Not content with his suffering, which must be too horrible to
describe by words, the crowds boo and jeer him. They even throw empty beer
cans at him. His body is then taken away to be skinned, and even then he
may not be dead when this happens.

HORSES

The
bull is not the only animal to suffer in the ring — hundreds of
horses die long and agonising deaths as they are gored by the pain-crazed
bull. Horses have their ears stuffed with wet newspaper, they are blindfolded
and their vocal chords are cut so they are unable to scream in pain. It
is not an uncommon occurrence for horses to stumble upon their own entrails
after being badly gored. After a horse has been wounded it is led out
of the ring, given crude surgery, and sent back in. Horses used in bullrings
sweat and tremble from fear — they are forced to return to the ring
time and time again. The picador’s horses are generally animals
whose working life is over, and which are, therefore, old, infirm and
docile. Their reward for serving mankind faithfully is to end their days
in the bullrings. They are kept in poor conditions between fights, arid,
not surprisingly, their life expectancy is short.

ARGUMENTS IN DEFENCE OF BULLFIGHTING

“But it’s part of their culture’ is the argument commonly
used to defend bullfighting, but this argument is also used to defend
female circumcision (genital mutilation). It could also have been used
to defend witch-burning, bear-baiting and a multitude of other evils,
“Culture” is not a magic word, and simply labeling something
as such doesn’t make it right and above criticism. Also, the word
“culture” suggests the enhancement and enrichment of people
or a society, and watching animals being tortured to death doesn’t
fall into this description.

“Get
your own house in order” is another argument put forward, with reference
to our own bloodsports such as hunting and harecoursing. Well, there is
no reason why we can’t support the Spanish Animal Rights movement
as well as fighting animal abuse in our own country. An animal doesn’t
regard itself as being Spanish when it is being tortured to death —
rather it is a member of the anima[ kingdom being tortured to death by
humans. The Animal Rights movement is a worldwide one and should not be
restricted by boundaries.

As has been mentioned previously, bullrings are largely sustained by
tourists who visit out of curiosity and a misguided belief that if they
fail to visit this unique part of Spanish culture, their visit to Spain
will not be complete.

The vast majority of tourists are appalled by what happens at a bullfight
and leave after they see what happens to the first bull (three separate
bulls are killed at bullfights, but spectators are not allowed to leave
until the first one has ended).

However, the purchase of their ticket keeps the bullrings open.

Spain is a popular holiday destination for British tourists, so for this reason
a campaign in this country to educate people about what really happens at bullfights
is a necessary and vital step towards closing down the bullrings.

Frank Evans from Manchester who runs a bedroom and kitchen showroom in Eccles
called “Ladyline” is a bullfighter who regularly travels to Spain
to torture bulls to death. This is another reason why bullfighting is an issue
for the British Animal Rights movement.

The Anti-Bullfighting Committee, P.O. Box 175, Liverpool L69 8DX has started
a campaign against Evans by demonstrating and leafletting outside his shop and
his house. Anyone interested in joining this campaign should contact this address.
Also, anyone wishing to express their views on Evans’ activities should
write to him at:

There are now serious moves to have bullfighting banned as Spain is a fairly
recent member of the European Economic Community, and has been under severe
pressure from campaigning Animal Rights groups.

However
the powerful lobby of bullbreeders are intent on evading this. In 1989
33,000 bulls died the death previously described, and this means profit
for the bullbreeders.

A boycott of Spanish produce i.e. wine, sherry, fruit and vegetables would
help persuade the Spanish Government to outlaw bullfighting.

Also, a boycott of Spanish holidays would be an excellent form of economic
pressure as Spain relies heavily on the tourist industry.

The Spanish Green Party has announced its intention to ban bullfighting, if
it were elected to Parliament.

In recent years, there has been a sustained press interest in the atrocities
involved in bullfighting and fiestas involving animal abuse. This media focus
has been not only in Britain but has caused worldwide concern. This has deeply
embarrassed the Spanish Government who are under extreme pressure to change
their laws. Also, it has made people in general more aware of the cruelties
involved in bullfighting and the fiestas, and therefore less likely to visit
bullrings.

It is only a matter of time before this abomination has ended, and bulls are
allowed to live their lives in peace.